Are you new to StudioPlus myStratus? Start here! Complete each step of this checklist to successfully set up myStratus for your studio and then use it to train your employees.

Getting Started

	Subscribe to the StudioPlus blogs! The Support blog will alert you to any service interruptions and notify you of the latest support information for StudioPlus products. The Company blog is used by Matthew Hunt, company CEO and founder, to keep you informed about the overall direction of the company, product road maps, new product releases, and general industry insights. The Learning blog offers tips and tutorials to help you maximize myStratus in your business.
	Bookmark the Getting Help Overview page on our website. Visit this page often to stay in the loop on the latest training, product information, and updates for myStratus.
	Read through the list of myStratus Features. Familiarize yourself with the features available in your version of myStratus and make note of which features you feel will have the biggest positive impact on your business.
	Tips for using this checklist: Each checklist item below links you to a topic or group of topics in the myStratus WEB Online Help. Click the link to read the topic and watch any embedded training videos, using the instructions to follow along on your own myStratus website. The additional resources listed at the bottom of each section are OPTIONAL! Many of the links will open a list of "How To" topics. These topics are typically quite short and give step-by-step instructions for accomplishing something specific. If you see something interesting, check it out, but don't feel like you need to read them all now!

1: Setting Up Your Preferences

The Preferences Wizard is the easiest way to set up your basic preferences in myStratus. It'll have you up and running in no time.

Setting up myStratus with the Preferences Wizard - Follow these step-by-step instructions and/or watch the included video tutorial to set up your basic company information, create your users, define your session and appointment types, enter your sales tax, and choose a few more important settings.

2: Finding Your Way Around myStratus

Before you jump in and start using myStratus, take a few minutes to get familiar with the workspace. Check out the myStratus home page and learn the basics for getting around.

	Navigating myStratus Video - Watch this video tour of the myStratus workspace.
	Home Page Overview - Read about the panels and features of your myStratus home page.
	myStratus Hubs - Get familiar with the main working areas in myStratus. Look through the descriptions in this topic and then click through the various hubs on your own myStratus website.
	Help Menu - Open the Help menu on your myStratus website and take a look at the options for getting help, reporting a bug, and even making a suggestion.
	You may also want to look at the following topics:
		myStratus Menus - Take a look at the options that are available on the myStratus File menu, Maintenance menu, and others.

3: Working with Clients

Your clients are key to your success, and myStratus is the perfect tool to help you build strong and dynamic client relationships.

	Clients Overview - Start by reading this overview to see how myStratus uses clients to track almost everything in your database.
	Creating a Client - Follow the instructions in this topic to create your first client in myStratus. You will learn how to fill in all the most important client information, but if you want to know what every field is for, make sure to check out the Client Reference topic.
	Importing Clients - Follow these instructions and/or watch the included video tutorial to import a client list from a text file or Excel® spreadsheet.
	Finding a Client - Learn how to find the client(s) you just created or imported!
	You may also want to look at the following client topics:
		Client How To's - These "How To" topics show you how to use client groups, track referrals, print a client list, and more.
		Customizing Clients - See how to customize the phone number labels, data entry order, and more.

4: Scheduling

It's time to book some sessions and appointments in myStratus!

	Scheduling Overview - Read this overview to see how you'll use the calendar and Scheduling Wizard to keep track of your schedule. You'll also learn the difference between sessions and appointments in myStratus.
	Calendar Overview - Explore the myStratus calendar, try out some of the tips for using it, and see a list of all the ways it can be customized for your business.
	Scheduling a Session with the Scheduling Wizard - Follow these step-by-step instructions and/or watch the included video tutorial to book a session using the Scheduling Wizard.
	Scheduling a Session - Learn another way to create a session or appointment, right from an existing client.
	Finding a Session - Learn how to find a session on the Sessions hub or by using the Session Search tool.
	You may also want to look at the following scheduling topics:
		Calendar How To's - Learn how to change the calendar view, view multiple schedules, add resources to the calendar, and more.
		Customizing the Calendar - See how to customize the calendar colors, event descriptions, and more.
		Session and Appointment How To's - Find out how to create a session confirmation, add participants to a session, use session and appointment types, and more.

5: Basic Communication & Marketing

You'll be amazed how myStratus can help you communicate with your clients and improve your marketing using phone calls, emails, and text messages.

	Call How To's - Find out how to use phone calls to keep track of client conversations.
	Setting up Email - Follow these step-by-step instructions and/or watch the video tutorial in this topic to set up myStratus to send and receive email.
	Sending Email - Learn how to send a basic email to a client.
	SMS Text Messaging Video - This video tutorial covers most aspects of using the SMS text messaging feature in myStratus. For step-by-step instructions, you can also refer to these individual topics: Setting up SMS Text Messaging, Sending Text Messages, and Creating an SMS Template, and Managing Your Messaging Plan.
	Client Reference - Locate a client's complete communication history by opening the client and then clicking on the Communications tab.
	You may also want to look at the following communication topics:
		Calls Hub - Take a look at how the Calls hub helps you manage all your studio's scheduled phone calls and sort them by department, date, user, and more.
		Messages Hub - See how the Messages hub functions as your email and SMS text "Inbox" and helps you sort and view the messages by user, date, and more.
		Creating an Email Template - Learn how to set up reusable email templates that include merge fields.
		Creating an SMS Template - Learn how to set up reusable SMS text message templates that include merge fields.

6: Financial Tracking

Bringing home the bacon! It's time to set up the financial tracking portion of myStratus so you'll know exactly how profitable your business is.

Price List and Invoice Setup

	Price List Overview - The price list overview will help you see how price lists are structured in myStratus, as well as learn the definition of some key price list terms.
	Setting up a Price List - Follow the step-by-step instructions or watch the video tutorial in this topic to set up your price list in myStratus.
	Sales Tax Settings - Learn how to set up your sales tax rate(s) so you'll be ready to invoice.
	You may also want to look at the following price list topics:
		Creating a Package - Find out how to add a package to your myStratus price list.
		Importing a Price List - These step-by-step instructions and included video tutorial show you how to import a price list from a text file or Excel spreadsheet.

Create Invoices

	Invoicing Overview - This overview will help you understand the difference between the three kinds of invoices (client, session, and quick sale) you can create in myStratus, as well as explain the six built-in invoice types.
	Creating a Session Invoice - Follow the instructions in this topic to create your first invoice in myStratus.
	You may also want to look at the following invoicing topics:
		Invoice How To's - Learn how to change an estimate to an invoice, print an invoice, create a client invoice, create a quick sale invoice, and more.
		Customizing Invoices - See how to customize your invoice terms, set up your own invoice classifications , and adjust your sales tax settings.

Accept Payments and Process Credit Cards

	Creating a Payment - Learn how to create a payment in myStratus.
	Want to process credit cards through myStratus? The first step is to apply for a TSYS account (formerly Cayan). Not in the U.S.? Contact us for information about our preferred international credit card processing company.
	Setting up Credit Card Processing - Once you've established a TSYS account, follow these instructions (or watch the training video) to set up your account credentials in myStratus.
	Processing Credit Cards through myStratus - Follow these step-by-step instructions to process a secure credit card payment using TSYS.
	You may also want to look at the following payment topics:
		Payment How To's - Find out how to create a refund, set up payment methods, print a receipt, and more.

7: Digital Workflow

	Workflow Overview - Get an overview of the digital workflow stages and features in myStratus.
	Workflow Hub - See how you can use the Workflow hub to track your current sessions through the stages of the digital workflow.
	Uploading Images - Follow these instructions to upload images to a myStratus session.
	You may also want to look at the following workflow topics:
		Workflow How To's - Learn how to crop, rank, and organize your session images.